Folding chair



Feb. 11, 1930. B. M. STANNARD 1,746,684

FOLDING CHAIR Filed Aug. 8, 1928 IN VENTO R.

Z ER'UEE M. STANNARD BY 0A ATTORNEY.

Fatentecl Feb. 11, 1930 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE BRUCE M. STAN NARD, F IBINGI-IAMTON', NEW. YORK, ASSIGNOR TO THE BREWER- TITGHENER CORPORATION, OF GORTLAND,.I\TEW YORK, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK FOLDING CHAIR,

Application filed August 8, 1928. Serial No. 298,170.

without undue side-sway eifects and otherwise provide for a relatively high degree of stability. A further object consists in im-- proved constructive features which will facilitate convenient collapse of all the chair mom-- bers into fiat aligned relation and admit of readily setting up the chair for use. Em-

bodied hereinare further details of structure,

designed to accomplish the foregoing and related purposes, all of which will be more explicitly set forth hereinafter.

Reference is had to the annexed one sheet of drawings which are illustrative of a specific embodiment of my invention, like characters of reference indicate like parts, and in which drawings:

Fig. l is afront elevation of said folding chain as it appears in its set up or open position while Fig. 2 is a side view thereof indieating in partial dotted outline, the pivoted mode of reversely collapsing my chair back member.

Fig. 3 represents a top or plan view of Fi l.

Fig. 4 shows an elevational side view of my chair as it appears when fully collapsed, and Fig. .5 a front view thereof. Fig. tArepresents a fragmental rungdetail as taken along the section line lA tA of Fig. 4:.

Fig. 6 is an enlarged detail of the hinge structure usedbetween the seat and back member of my folding chair while Fig. 7 is a plan or top view of said hinge detail.

Referring now to said drawings, my chair essentially comprises a pair of parallelly spaced front legs A and A of the metal type preferably made up of cross-sectionally dishedshape straps; this chair also comprises a similar pair of rear legs designated as B and B that are disposed in an outwardly straddled relation and respectively pivoted at B intermediate their ends to one of said front leg straps in a collapsible manner. The bottom of this scissor-like leg structure, when openedinto set-up position is intended to rest evenly upon the floor while the oppositely offset upper extremities A and A of said spaced front legs respectively extend beyond the complementary ends of the rear legs as in.- dicated in Figs. 2 and 5. Said complementary rear legs B and B may be interconnected through the rung B and this is reenforced by truss-like lateral brace means preferably embodied in X shaped cross-straps which in the present instance, comprise two component V shaped straps B and B having their re spective noses adjoined at B with their radially extended leg portions riveted in a substantially central relationto the axis of the respective rear leg strips. The floor contacting leg elements of the last named legs are preferably bent up as shown and may further be tied together by circular rung means such as B of which the respective ends may be riveted in place in the usual fashion.

The pair of front legs A and A are preferably disposed in an outwardly straddled relation with respect to the described rear leg structure; in collapsed position, all of said leg members are intended to fall into substantial alignment as represented in Fig. 4. Said pair of front are further interconnected by offset rung means such as A and A and in order to allow of the cited aligned folding,.

the latter rungs are each provided with a spanning element preferably of the cross sectionally dished metal strap type having upturned flattened end portions that are respectively riveted to and interlockingly received by separate flattened indents or notches A i as formed in each of the slightly dished edges of the legs in the mannerindicated in Fig. dA. As clearly shown in Figs. 2 and 4, my improved rung members are oppositely disposed relative to the respective front leg edges and by their use, the pair of rear legs may readily be collapsed within the confines of the pair of front legs without need of cutting away said rear legs in order to avoid interference with either of said cross rungs A or A Referring further to the disposition given to the aforesaid cross-braces, they are so arranged as to obviate interference when folding the pivoted leg pairs into complete alignment.

Across the free upper ends of the rear legs B and B the pivots C and C swivelly carry the forward portion of the seat C. The offset upper front leg extremities A and A are each likewise provided with complementary pivots such as D between which there is swivelly mounted the back D as shown. The uppermost unfolded edge of said back member is preferably rounded off in flanged semi-circular fashion while the corresponding opposite straight-lined edge portion D is .preferably provided with fairly sharp rounded flange corner regions D and D respectively adjoined to said semi-circular portion by the pendant side flange portions the res ective back pivots.

Said back D is prefera ly given approximately the same width dimension as the seat and may be stamped out of comparatively light gauge sheet metal with the continuous circumscribbe secured and trimmed the margin of the back upholstery fabric D The seat member C may be cushioned in a like manner and this is generally indicated by the upholstery reference numeral C The rear edge C of the unfolded seat may be hingedly connected to the adjacent bottom back edge D by an elongated pintle G extending between the respective corner regions .of said hinged edges in the fashion shown in Figs. 1 and 2. To this end, said pendant flange portion D is preferably slotted at D and D" in spaced relation as respectively disposed closely adjacent to the back corvner regions D and D A perforated hinge strap D projects outwardly from said edge D" in overhanging relation beyond each of said slots and the respective opposite strap ends D may be riveted or otherwise secured to said inturned back flanges and each such strap end may be given an opposed offset shape adapted to snugly nest into the interior contour of the pendant back edges in accordance with Fig. 7 so as to afford a neat and inconspicuous trim for said hinge element. As shown in Fig. 1, these straps are preferably extended upwardly to the respective front leg pivots D and may be riveted thereto for back reenforcing purposes.

As will be seen from Fig. 3, the seat C is preferably given a practically square contour having a substantially straight inturned rear flange edge C the respective ends of which connect with inturned corner flanges C and C" in a manner that closely resembles the previously described corresponding flange structure of my back member. Secured to each of the respective seat corner flanges, is a unitary sheet-metal bracket member that comprises a strap portion C having one of its ends adapted to overhang the rear seat edge C and mount the pintle rod C that pivotally engages the aforesaid pair of back hinge straps D and serves as a finger guard. These complementary seat hinge straps are preferably so proportioned that the rear seat edge C and the adjacent back edge D will lie in substantial alignment when the chair is wholly collapsible as in Fig. 4.

The fixed end of each complementary bracket strap C is respectively riveted or otherwise secured to the exterior of the rounded seat edge flanges C and C as showne in Figs. 3 and 7. It will further be observed that there is integrally formed with each such bracket an outwardly projecting stop lug C equipt with a V-shaped notched end C respectively adapted to grippingly re ceive therebetween the rear edge of one front leg strap such as A or A thus providing for an additional supplementary leg tie adjacent to the rear seat portion as disposed intermediate the front leg pivots B and D which serves to impart augmented lateral rigidity to my chair whenever it is brought into fully unfolded position. Collapsible steel chairs of the conventional type tend to wear or otherwise become loose in the pivot joints and accordingly is likely to result in undue side sway when the chair is placed under seat load. The provision for said complementary hook means as used in conjunction with the aforesaid brace means B serves to tie together the respective spaced cross-leg members of my opened chair into a unitary structure that is amply braced against lateral tilt effects.

For convenience of manipulation, the bottom inturned flange edge D of my back member may be provided with a handle D which may comprise a U shaped strap-like grip element adapted to extend outwardly in offset alignment with the plane of the back as indicated in Fig. 6. In unfolded chair position, said hand grip D is positioned downwardly with respect to the rear edge seat edge C in the manner shown by full lines in Fig. 2; by the raising of said grip, the back may be swung through the intermediate dotted position of Fig. 2, which in turn throws upside down the semi-circular top edge of the back until it finally reaches the fully inverted or reversed relation that is represented in Figs. 4 and 5. where the hand grip D is now brought above the top of the rear seat edge C in convenient location for readily unfolding the chair.

All of my chair members are pivotally linked together to provide for a positive relative folding movement therebetween, and

assuming the folded chair legs to be resting uponthe floor as indicated in Fig. 4c, said handle member then being raised clear of the aligned uppermost back and seat members, it may readily be given a simultaneous rearward and downward jerk adapted to thrust the seat forwardly about the complementary back pivots D whereupon the component linked chair members may again be guided and swung through the intermediate relation hook members C press forwardly against and snugly interlock with the rear edge of the respective front legs A and A which in turn not only prevents further spreading apart of the respective crossed leg members about their respective pivots B but also imparts augmented lateral rigidity to the rear portion of my erected seat. As an additional precaution, it is preferred to have either the inturned rear edge portion of the seat or the lower face of the flap stop lug C so arranged as to come into substantial abutment with and rest upon the uppermost edge of said offset rung A as indicated in Fig. 2, thus further providing against side'sway on part of the chair under heavy seat load;

Although certain specific embodiments and shapes of metal chair members have herein been set forth, I do not wish to be limited to the cited arrangement or form of parts, since various changes may be resorted to, all without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention, heretofore describedand more specifically pointed out in tne appended claims.

I claim:

1. A folding chair having the elements thereof positively linked together for coordinated movement, said chair comprising a pair of rear leg straps, truss-like cross-brace means disposed between and adapted to fixedly hold the respective leg edges in spaced relation, a front leg pivoted to each of said rear legs in scissor-like fashion, said front legs being disposed astride the respective outermost side faces of said rear leg straps and extended beyond the respective upper rear leg extremities, rung means interconnectingsaid pair of front legs, said rear leg structure together with said brace means being adapted to fold into collapsed alignment within the confines of said pair of front legs and to unfold into open crossed leg position, a back member pivotally mounted between the pair of front leg extensions, a seat member pivot ally mounted between the upper end portions ofthe pair of rear legs, stop means overhung outwardly from each of the seat sides and respectively adapted to open seat position to interlockingly grasp the rearward edge of its adjacent front leg strap, and hinge means pivotally interconnecting the back to said seat, said means allowing of swinging the seat member about the aforesaid seat pivots and of swinging the adjoined back member aboutits front leg extension pivots into a reversed folded relation upon said seat and into substantial alignment with the collapsed leg structure.

2. A folding chair comprising a pair of rear legs, cross brace means disposed between and serving to fixedly hold said legs in spaced relation, a front leg strap pivoted to each of the rear legs and extending beyond the respective upper extremities of the last named legs, said front legs being interconnected by rung means and the rear leg structure together with said brace means being adapted to fold into collapsed alignment within the confines of the pair of front legs and to unfold into crossed leg position, a backmember pivotally mounted between the pair of front leg extensions, a seat member: pivotally carried between the upper end portions of said pair of rear legs, hinge means pivotally connecting the back to said seat, said means being adapted to allow of swinging the seat and back members about their respective pivots from substantial alignment with the collapsed leg structure into open position, and a pair of spaced unitary brackets associated with the rearward seat portion, each such bracket including a pivot support element adapted to have the back hinged thereto and also a stop element respectively disposed to overhang opposite seat sides and in open seat position adapted to interlock with the rearward edge ofthe adjacent front leg strap.

8. A folding chair comprising a pair of rear legs fixedly held in spaced relation by interconnecting means, a front leg strap pivoted to each of the rear legs and extending beyond the respective upper extremities of the last named legs, rung means disposed to in 'erconnect the pair of front legs intermediate the extension ends thereof and their respective rear leg pivots and which rear leg structure as a whole is adapted to fold into collapsed alignment within the confines. of the pair of front legs and to unfold into open crossed leg position, a back member pivotally mounted between the pair of front leg extensions, a seat member pivotally carried between the upper end portions of said pair of rear legs which pivots are adj oined to the forward portion of the unfolded seat while the rear seat portion in open position is adapted to rest upon said rung means, hinge means pivoting the back to said seat, and stop lug means disposed outwardly from each of theopposite seat sides in close proximity to the respective lsae rung ends and respectively adapted to interlock with one of the rear edges of the complementary front leg straps whenever said rear seat portion rests upon said rung 4. A folding all-metal chair comprisin a pair of rear legs fixedly held in spaced rela tion by interconnecting means, a front leg strap pivoted to each rear leg and extending beyond the respective upper extremities of the last named legs, said front legs being interconnected by rung means and the rear leg structure as a whole being adapted to fold into collapsed alignment within the confines of the pair of front legs and to unfold into open crossed leg position, a sheet metal seat member pivotally mounted between the upper end ortions of said pair of rear legs, said seat eing provided with a pendant circumscribing flange including complementary rounded corner elements, a hinge strap secured to the exterior of each of the aforesaid seat corner elements, a sheet me al back member pivotally mounted between the pair of front leg extensions, the perimeter of said back being likewise provided with a pendant flange of which one portion is kept substantially straight and provided with a pair of spaced slots, a hinge strap disposed through each of said slots and respectively adapted to cooperate with the aforesaid seat straps and hinge said seat to the back member.

5. A folding all-metal chair comprising a air of rear legs held in aligned spaced re- Fation by interconnecting means, a vfront leg strap pivoted to each rear leg and extending beyond the respective upper extremities of the last named legs, said front legs being interconnected by run means and the rear leg structure as a whole being adapted to fold into collapsed aligned leg position and to unfold into open crossed leg position, a sheet metal seat member pivotally mounted between the upper end portions of said pair of rear legs, said seat being provided with a circumscribing pendant flange including complementary rounded corner elements, a unitary bracket associated with each corner element, each such bracket comprising an integrally formed hinge strap means together with a stop means respectively adapted to interlock with its contiguous front leg strap edge and limit the unfolding of said crossed leg members, a sheet metal back member ivotally mounted between the pair of front lieg extensions, the perimeter of said back being likewise provided with a pendant marginal flange to which is adj oined spaced hinge strap means respectively adapted to cooperate with the aforesaid seat hinge straps, and pintle means pivotally interconnecting the said seat hinge straps with the back hinge strap means.

6. A folding chair comprising legs, a seat, a back having a flanged edge to which the legs are pivoted, and a combined reinforcing and hinge strap associated with said flanged edge, said strap being hinged to the seat and also serving to reinforce the pivotal connection for the legs.

In testimony whereof, I have herewith set my hand this 6th day of August, 1928.

BRUCE M. STANNAR-D. 

